Raigarh Police Arrest Two for Raping, Duping Woman of ₹6 Lakh on Pretext of Occult Practices

Raipur

Raigarh Police have arrested a man and his female accomplice for allegedly raping a 40-year-old woman and extorting nearly ₹6 lakh from her on the pretext of curing her ailments and removing obstacles to her marriage through occult practices.

The main accused has been identified as Chandra Kumar Jaiswal (45), a resident of Tanshipar village in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district, currently living in a rented house in Lailunga, Raigarh. His accomplice is Gayatri Manikpuri alias Gayatri Mahant (39), a resident of Gersa Sukvasipara in Dharamjaigarh, Raigarh. Both accused have been sent to judicial custody.

According to police, the victim, an unmarried woman from Lailunga, lodged a complaint at Kotwali Police Station, Raigarh, on November 5, 2026, alleging physical exploitation and financial fraud. Since the incident took place within the jurisdiction of Gharghoda Police Station, the case was transferred there on the same day, and an FIR was registered.

The victim told police that in March 2026, an acquaintance introduced her to Jaiswal, claiming that he possessed supernatural abilities and could cure various illnesses through rituals and traditional medicines. During a phone conversation, she informed him about her persistent body pain and difficulties in finding a suitable marriage partner.

Jaiswal allegedly assured her that he could resolve her health problems and marriage-related obstacles through special rituals. Thereafter, they remained in regular contact through mobile phone calls and WhatsApp.

On March 8, 2026, Jaiswal allegedly called the woman to his rented accommodation on Raigarh Road in Gharghoda on the pretext of performing healing rituals. The woman travelled by bus from her village, after which Jaiswal picked her up on a motorcycle and took her to his rented room. Another woman, identified as Gayatri Mahant, was already present there.

Mahant allegedly asked the victim about her problems and instructed her to arrange camphor, courtyard soil and sweets for the ritual. She was subsequently asked to take a bath and enter the worship area wearing wet clothes. The accused assured her that a woman would remain present throughout the ceremony.

The victim alleged that after she entered the prayer area, Jaiswal began performing rituals and a havan. During the ceremony, he gave her water claiming it was consecrated. After drinking the water, she experienced severe dizziness and lost consciousness.

Taking advantage of her unconscious condition, Jaiswal allegedly sexually assaulted her. When she regained consciousness and protested, he reportedly justified his act by claiming it was necessary to remove obstacles to her marriage and cure her physical ailments.

The victim further alleged that the accused initially took ₹4,000 and subsequently ₹16,000 from her in the name of rituals. Later, Jaiswal allegedly persuaded her to invest money by falsely promising employment opportunities in a direct-selling company.

Through these various pretences, the accused duo allegedly cheated and extorted approximately ₹6 lakh from the woman. When she threatened to approach the police, they allegedly issued threats to her.

Gharghoda Police registered a case under Sections 64, 61(2), 49, 123 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Considering the seriousness of the case, Gharghoda Police Station House Officer Inspector Kumar Gaurav Sahu initiated an investigation and detained the suspects. During interrogation, police discovered that Jaiswal and Manikpuri were previously in a relationship.

According to the police investigation, the duo allegedly conspired to lure the victim to Gharghoda in the name of occult healing and administered sedatives mixed in consecrated water to make her unconscious, facilitating the sexual assault by Jaiswal.

After collecting sufficient evidence, Gharghoda Police arrested both accused on November 8, 2026, and sent them to judicial custody.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police Sashi Mohan Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Soni, and Dharamjaigarh Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Siddhant Tiwari.

The police team included Inspector Kumar Gaurav Sahu, Assistant Sub-Inspector Khemraj Patel, and other local police personnel.